Bopara recalled to England squad for Champions Trophy

London, May 3 (IANS) All-rounder Ravi Bopara returned to the England ODI squad as the selectors picked him up in the 15-man squad for the last ICC Champions Trophy 2013 commencing June 8. The same squad will also play in the three-match NatWest ODI series against New Zealand from May 31.

Alastair Cook will captain the side that includes two additions from the squad that defeated New Zealand 2-1 in February with Tim Bresnan and Ravi Bopara added.

Six members of the party (James Anderson, Bopara, Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Eoin Morgan and Graeme Swann) were involved in the last ICC Champions Trophy held in 2009 in South Africa.

Geoff Miller, national selector, said: "We know that the three-match series against New Zealand will be very challenging and we will need to play some very good cricket if we are to repeat the success we had against them earlier this year and build momentum leading into the ICC Champions Trophy."

"The ICC Champions Trophy provides this England squad with a great opportunity to win a global 50-over event - something we have yet to achieve, and we are excited to be playing on home soil," he said.

"We are fully aware that with the best eight sides in world cricket competing against each other we will need to play a very high standard of cricket over a three-week period to give ourselves a chance of winning the title and are very much looking forward to the challenge."

England's first fixture of the Champions Trophy is against Australia at Edgbaston followed by matches versus Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval and New Zealand at the Cardiff Wales Stadium in the group stages.

The two top-ranked sides from the group will continue to the semi-final stages of the tournament.